Thursday, November 29, 2012

Thursday 12 July 1280, Afternoon (The Mouth of the Serpent)

Oloc scratches his head as he ponders the new complications
to the situation.

"As for Swede's news, I say we keep an eye out for the 'reinforcements'.
He may be telling the truth, but to be honest, I am more concerned with saving
my skin than being a judge of Alanna's previous love interests."

"First priority has got to be getting Ollie back. He must have been jumped
by a bandit patrol." Oloc looks at the torn piece of cloth again.
"I'm no hero but we can't leave the boy - that wouldn't be right."

He looks at the others. "So, our hand seems to be
forced. I say we go in after Ollie."

"It does indeed look like Ollie has been taken,"
says Duran. "If our ... friend ...
here is willing to join us I think we stand an even better chance to getting
Ollie back," Duran continues gesturing to the hobgoblin. "Either way
we need to get Ollie back."

Varros agrees that the group's top priority should be
finding Ollie, as does Gaven: "Yes, we must rescue Ollie."

Oloc then looks at the hobgoblin. "Can we count on you
to fight?"

Swede nods and says: "You bested me, and I've got
nowhere else to go. You can count on me."

"Swede, we will see if you are a hobgoblin of your word,"
Gaven says patting his club head in his hand. "However, if you move to
betray us, I will smite you."

The bounty hunter grunts.

Gaven adds: "We will have to be on guard. The villains have had time to
re-fortify."

*****

The party cautiously advances toward the mouth of the cave
that serves the Red Serpent as a hideout. As you approach the opening, you see
that the bandit who was previously ordered to clean up the area did his job
relatively well. A path has been cleared through the rubble, and the dead
bandits have been laid off to the side, all in a row, cloaks draped over their
faces.

As you move past them, Swede lets out an almost inaudible
whistle. "You boys don't fool around do you? I imagine there can't be too
many left inside."

Entering the cave mouth, it takes a moment for your eyes to
adjust to the dim light inside. Bill quickly lights a torch, enabling you to see
a bit better.

The cave you've entered is quite large, about 50-60' wide
across its narrowest dimensions, and curving around to the north.

About 40-50' in, you spot Ollie lying immobile on the cave
floor. Much to your relief, you discover that he is merely unconscious, albeit
with a rather nasty bruise on his forehead.

You note a rather large puddle of blood on the floor next to
him. Beside the puddle is a long, thin, extremely sharp shard of stone –
similar in texture and color to that of the stone which you made fall in the
entrance. The dagger-like fragment of stone also glistens with blood on its
sharp end, from the pointed tip and continuing several inches up its length.
The puddle of blood on the floor smears off into a streaked blood trail around
the corner leading to the northern area of the cavern.

Quietly following the blood trail, you notice an
extinguished campfire in the middle of the cavern, a stack of firewood along
the west wall, and about a half dozen unused torches leaning against the wall
nearby.

The blood trail itself leads to the curled up figure of a
bandit on the floor next to the pile of firewood. Your first reaction is that
he might be dead.

Getting a better look at the rest of the cavern, you note
that there are tunnels leading out of the area to the east and to the north.
The air to the east seems particularly damp and cool.

Suddenly from the position of the bandit you initially assumed
was dead, you hear a sob and a weak voice that wimpers: "I don't want to
die."

Approaching the fetal form of the bleeding bandit, you
notice that he has an extremely deep gash on the inside of his thigh. It seems
fairly clear to you that a major artery has been severed and that the bandit
doesn't have much time. Looking at his face you see that he is very young –
perhaps no more than fifteen or sixteen years old – and his skin is pale as
death itself. He appears to be the one Mackey was ordering around earlier to
get the mess in front of the cave cleaned up.

The dying bandit suddenly notices your presence.
"Mackey?" he addresses you. "I got one of 'em. One of them
as killed our men." His breath gets shorter. "I did good,
right?" he asks. "I tried to do good." A sob catches in the
young bandit's throat once more. "I wanna go home," he says. "I
want my mum." He grits his teeth and tears stream down his cheeks.

*************************

OOC: Actions?

Sorry I didn't post a bit sooner, guys. Work has been
especially unkind this week.

4 comments:

After being certain that Ollie is ok, the Mage asks the others to tend to the boy after he is brought around. He then turns his attention to the dying lad.

Oloc will do whatever he can to try and save the boy's life, although it looks like it may be a lost cause. At the very least he will try and ease his suffering. He will tell the lad that he will make to see his mother.

ooc: I doubt the young bandit will make it, but should he stabilize, Oloc will begin to ask him questions around Mackey's location.

Varros will keep a watchful eye over Duran as he goes about his work, his bow at the ready. Varros will motion to Swede to keep focused on the corridor the air is coming from while he keeps watch on the other.

Gaven will aid Oloc in taking care of the boy. He will rip up some more of his cloak to try to bind the wound. He will ask the boy his name and will try to keep him talking by asking him questions about how he was hurt and about the bandits and Mackey and about his mother.

If the boy dies, Gaven will say a prayer in the boys name.

Once all this is done, Gaven will suggest that the check out the area with the pool of water to make sure nobody will be able to come at the company from behind.